On Your Birthday
by kateg123
Summary: It's Gwen's birthday but she isn't acting like the team would expect. Owen, Ianto and Tosh don't know how to help her and there's only one person who can. Guess who? Jack of course. Jack/Gwen. Mild use of language.


**This was written for Chloe because it's her BIRTHDAY! And so running with the birthday theme here's a fic...and I haven't given up on Out Of Their Minds for those of you who were wondering, I just have less time now that I'm back at school**

* * *

As the Hub door rolled open on the morning of Gwen's 30th birthday the team expected her to come in buzzing with excitement and demanding presents. They did not, however, expect her to walk in glumly dragging her feet and generally being quite morose.

Owen, who was clearly oblivious to anything that went on in the female mind, looked up briefly from the body he was dissecting and yelled, "Come on! It's your freaking birthday, cheer up," before returning to scrutinising the general slimy disgusting wiggly things that were peeking out of the corpse.

Gwen just settled with glaring at Owen before plonking herself down on the sofa and sighing heavily. Tosh kept sending her nervous glances from her workstation, fairly sure she had some idea of what was going on in Gwen's head but she had no idea how exactly to handle it. Ianto ambled over clutching a mug of steaming coffee and placing it on the table in front of Gwen he said with forced enthusiasm, "Happy birthday Gwen!"

She just mumbled a thank you and continued staring dejectedly at the wall, fiddling with the cuff of her sleeve. Ianto stood awkwardly in front of her for a few seconds, entirely out of his depth as to how to deal with that strange species which was the woman.

"So err...how was your night?" He attempted to get some sort of reaction from her, "Hung over are you?"

Gwen sent him the sort of look that he thought might be interpreted as, 'go away now before I push you into the corner and make you stay there until you decompose and become part of the floor'. He beat a hasty retreat muttering something to Tosh about 'alcohol' and 'birthdays' and then shuddering before he walked off.

Owen had finally taken notice of the new situation and snapping off his plastic disposable gloves he made his way up the stairs from the autopsy bay and hesitantly sat down beside Gwen.

"You _did _go out last night didn't you?" He asked wondering whether she might be depressed because she had no friends to celebrate her birthday with.

"Yes I went out last night, not that it's any of your business Owen," Gwen snapped, making him jump as it was the first thing she had said loudly since she had come in.

"I was just asking," Owen muttered annoyed that she had wounded his pride.

"Yeah, well don't," Gwen said shortly before adding, "You're crowding my personal space" and pointedly looking at the space between them, which in his opinion, was quite large.

"Ok I get it, you're cranky and moody because you drank too much or whatever," Owen said, "But seriously, lighten up."

Gwen just made a noise of disbelief and stood up using her newfound height over Owen to glare down at him, "I can't believe you Owen, you're such a wanker. Just don't talk to me."

And with that, she stormed off leaving Owen with his jaw down somewhere by his feet and increasingly confused by what had just happened. Then he caught Tosh sniggering slightly at him and he muttered angrily to himself, "Women Owen! You should have known better than to have tried."

Gwen had walked off, annoyed at Owen's pathetic attempt to cheer her up, even though he had no idea what was wrong with her, but realised she had no idea where she was going. She stopped suddenly and looked around, realising she had walked down one of the many corridors that wound around beneath the Hub.

"Damnit Gwen, why do you always overreact to everything?" She scolded herself leaning back against the wall and sliding down it until she was crouching on the floor.

_Now Owen and Ianto think I'm some cranky bitch who'll just snap at anyone who does something nice for me. Great way to start the day Gwen, really great, well done. _

She felt the tears start to form in her eyes and screwed them up tightly not allowing them to fall. _You're not going to cry on your birthday, you are NOT going to cry Gwen Cooper._

She heard the footsteps coming down the corridor tentatively and willed them not to be Owen or Ianto...or Jack. Come to think of it, where was Jack? She hadn't seen him in the Hub; he was probably out standing on some rooftop and contemplating the futility of his own existence or something.

"Gwen?" She heard Tosh ask as she neared where Gwen was crouching on against the wall.

Gwen sighed and uncovered her face blinking back the tears, "Hi Tosh."

"Is everything alright?"

And it was that question which broke the dam. Gwen had been able to ignore everything relatively easily until Tosh asked her if she was alright and that simple question stopped everything from being alright.

The tears started to flow free and fast and Tosh instantly crouched down beside Gwen putting an arm around her and comforting her awkwardly. Gwen appreciated the gesture but she knew Tosh wasn't the one she wanted comforting her.

"Look, you don't have to tell me what's wrong. I can sort of tell I think, I just want you to know, it gets better."

And then Gwen couldn't take any more sympathy and she stood up abruptly almost knocking Tosh over, "I'm sorry I err...have to go...do something."

She knew the excuse was weak but she couldn't help it, the sympathy and the pity was just making it worse. She ran through the Hub in an attempt to avoid Owen and Ianto after she had snapped at them and was through the cog-door and up the lift in record time.

* * *

The fresh air hit her and she gratefully sucked it in, feeling the tears dry on her cheeks in the cool air. She ambled over to the railing that looked out onto the sea and leant on it watching the waves as they rolled in and out soothingly.

"I thought I'd find you out here"

She jumped in shock as she recognised the voice and spun around, "Jesus Christ, you scared the shit out of me."

Jack grinned cheekily at her and said, "Actually you know you can just call me Jack."

She rolled her eyes and leant back on the railing, "What are you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Jack moved closer and leant on the railing next to her, his hand just barely touching hers, "Don't I employ you or something, I'm sure I pay you to do stuff other than stare at waves."

Gwen flushed but resolutely kept her gaze locked with his, not wanting to be the first to back down from the electricity that was sizzling between them.

"Yeah, sorry, I was...distracted," She mumbled.

"I heard," Jack said and then lifted his hand to cup her face and turn it so he could see the tear tracks glistening in the sunlight, "You want to tell me why you were crying?"

His eyes exuded such intense emotion that she blinked and looked away, suddenly unsure as to what was happening between them.

"I just..." She trailed off suddenly realising how stupid her excuse sounded, even in her own mind.

"It's your birthday," Jack said softly his hand still cupping her face, the heat of it almost burning her.

"That's the problem," She whispered.

"What? That you're one year older? You 21st Century humans and your _labels _and your _problems_," He smirked.

"Jack, I'm _old_," She suddenly burst out unable to keep it in any longer.

There was a silence and then a grin cracked his face as he started to laugh.

"You're laughing." Gwen said flatly, "I can't believe you're laughing."

"Yeah well I'm a funny guy," Jack said and then catching the murderous expression on her face he held his hands up as if surrendering and said, "I just can't believe you're talking to _me _about being old! I mean, the man with the time line so confusing I don't know whether I'm 12 or 200 years old."

This elicited a small smile on Gwen's part and she said, "Yeah I suppose it's stupid, but I dunno, I just feel like there's so much I want to do and I'm running out of time but on the other hand I love what I do, I love _Torchwood _so much I don't _want _to leave and do anything else."

"Yeah Torchwood will do that to you," Jack commented placing his hand on top of hers on the railing. The sudden contact made her shiver and she glanced down at their hands and then up at Jack with a question in her eyes.

"Gwen," He said and this time his tone was serious, "You're beautiful and amazing and I wouldn't want you to leave Torchwood for anything. But if you do, I'm not going to stop you because you should live your life to the fullest; the world deserves that much from you. You're like no other human in this century I've met before and I want you to realise just how truly wonderful you are."

The unexpected praise had Gwen's cheeks bright red but she couldn't look away from his piercing blue eyes, "Jack, I..."

"Don't say anything," He whispered leaning forward and then his mouth was on hers. It was the most heartfelt kiss she had ever experienced and she almost felt as beautiful as Jack had just told her she was when he pulled away and looked at her with some unreadable expression in his eyes.

"Happy birthday Gwen Cooper," He said before grinning suddenly and pulling her back tight against him for another kiss, this time it was more heated and passionate and Gwen suddenly felt more optimistic about the years to come.

**So a bit of fluff and angst and stuff, hope you enjoyed! Reviews would seriously make my day, I've had a bit of a crap one to be honest!**


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